Paula is a biodesigner and researcher working at the intersection of textiles, microbiology, and material innovation. Her research into healthy and living materials has led to the development of materials such as ‘Aqua Faba Foam’ and ‘COCOA’ created from surplus streams within industrial food production. Through this work, she actively challenges conventional notions of waste, positioning by-products as valuable resources within circular material systems.

Her practice is strongly material- and process-led, combining hands-on experimentation with critical research. She is particularly interested in how living organisms can be integrated into textile systems to shape sensory experience and well-being in the built environment. Her PhD research at the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment bridged textiles and microbiology, investigating living textile–bacterial hybrids with a focus on multispecies well-being and the multisensory interactions of smell and touch.

Alongside her research practice, Paula collaborates with global clients and cross-disciplinary teams across design, science, and industry, and contributes to public engagement through exhibitions, workshops, and talks. She has extensive experience translating complex biological research into accessible material outcomes, prototypes, and narratives.

Paula is currently a Senior Lecturer on the MA Biodesign at Central Saint Martins, where she teaches across lab, studio, and field contexts. Her teaching integrates material experimentation, biological processes, and critical design thinking, and involves collaboration with external partners and industry.